"Let us hope that we have had our share of bad luck" - Wout van Aert looks to bounce back from crash and win Dwars door Vlaanderen

Wout van Aert presented himself with great form at the E3 Saxo Classic but his battle for the victory was spoilt by a crash at the Paterberg. Team Visma | Lease a Bike have been hampered by crashes and illnesses which see two key figures missing from Dwars door Vlaanderen, but he still ambitions victory.

“There was quite a bit of stiffness involved. I've never really had much pain, but I still feel some stiffness. The hip is still sensitive. It was a harder blow than I could have initially estimated," van Aert shared with a group of reporters including Wielerflits. “We are a bit in the corner where the blows are falling, with a lot of falls. Let us hope that we have had our share of bad luck and that the boys who are hurt or sick recover. Fortunately, we have a broad core to always field a good team.”

Slight damage to his right elbow and hip were not an ideal way to kick off his main spring campaign, but with a few days of resting he should be back to his best level. Without Christophe Laporte and Dylan van Baarle, the Dutch team starts the final cobbled classic before the Tour of Flanders also with Matteo Jorgenson and Jan Tratnik who on their best day are capable of taking a win in such terrain. Van Aert himself wants to win as well, as he will face rival Mads Pedersen and is only days away from his first big goal of the season.

“This is a very important race, because I also want to win today," he admits. "We are at the start to win the race. I think it is a healthy attitude to try that first and then we will look further at Sunday." Today, an epic battle against Lidl-Trek is expected in the roads of Flanders.